Saskatchewan — Travel Tips

Language

English is Saskatchewan’s dominant language, spoken by 95 percent of the province’s population. A handful of Saskatchewan residents also speak Cree, Ukrainian, or French.

Currency

The Canadian dollar (C$) is Saskatchewan’s official currency. Hotels, banks, and airports are the best places for foreign visitors to exchange currencies. Most currency exchange offices, banks, and commercial businesses also accept travelers’ checks. Although some Saskatchewan banks are open on Saturdays, typical banking hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.

Time

Saskatchewan is the only Canadian province that does not observe Daylight Savings Time. Therefore, most of the province is on Central Standard Time, six hours behind GST, with the exception of the border town of Lloydminster, which follows the same Mountain Time Zone as neighboring Alberta, as well as Daylight Savings Time.

Electricity

Saskatchewan’s electricity settings, along with the rest of Canada, are 110-120V, accompanied by Type B plug sockets. Plug adaptors and transformers are necessary to safely use electric devices with different plugs and voltages.

Communications

Canada’s dialing code is +1, while Saskatchewan’s area code is 306. SaskTel is the province’s main telephone, Internet, cell phone, and communications provider. However, Telus Mobility, Virgin Mobile, Rogers Wireless, and most of Canada’s other major cell phone companies also operate in Saskatchewan. Cell phone coverage and Internet access are generally good in Saskatchewan, except in parts of the province’s sparsely populated north.

Duty-free

Duty free shops are available at John G Diefenbaker International Airport, Regina International Airport, and the town of North Portal near the United States border. People headed for the United States may purchase up to US$400 worth of gifts, a liter of alcohol, and 200 cigarettes.